I am not one to go around carrying a thermometer or taking the temperature of a lake, but I have read blogs that claim the Waters of Lake Wood are some of the warmest waters on all of Mount Desert Island, and judging by all the locals that frequent the lake, they may be right. Over the years the Lake earned a reputation of being the place to seek out for skinny dipping and many claim that practice continues today on the furthest end of the lake. The beach area is quickly filled with young children on hot summer days, while teens to adults head down along either side of the lake to their favorite swimming area, with the ultimate destination along the shore is a nice open ledge above the water used for diving from. this diving area is reached by a path near the first parking area, when the path reaches the shore the diving area is to the right.
If you have an old map or know where the trail is you can also access Fawn Pond from Lake wood by way of the abandoned Fawn Pond trail. That blue street sign is very misleading, it reads "Lake Wood Pond Rd. PVT. " which is a bit of a mystery sine the road is not private and is very much accessible to the public. Like I stated earlier, the National Park service would prefer you not discover this location.
The first or upper parking lot has an unmarked path across from it, with a simple sign, no alcoholic drinks, the path does have a couple places with rocks and roots sticking up in the path, but overall is fairly an easy walk. The path is easy to follow and gets you much further up the side of the lake, where the path reaches the waters edge, to the right not far away is a ledge people like to dive off of and some nice areas to sit along the shore. On this day, despite the sign of no alcohol, a group of eight were walking along the path with one guy carrying a 30 pack of beer - oh well, maybe he was from another country and didn't read English. In all I would estimate there was between 30 to 35 people of all ages at Lake Wood Pond today, about 12 of them at the sand beach at the head of the pond, the little ones were having a blast in the warm water.
The sand beach can be reached from the lower parking lot further in, where their is a path with a gate across it leading to the small beach. The sand beach may be small considering the size of the pond, but the more than inviting warm waters of the pond more than make up for it, and for the kids, inflatable pool toys are welcome. Once you step around that gate, several yards past the gate look for a path leading through the woods on the right, the path becomes more worn the further you follow it and ends where the Park Property ends and the property of Iris Farms begins. That unmarked path was once the other half of the Lake Wood Pond Road, abandoned today, the open and well worn path makes for an enjoyable walk through the woods with a brook to the left of the path. When the park property ends the path comes to a no trespassing sign, and just beyond the path comes to a field behind Iris farm.
If this pond, as large and beautiful as it is were located any other place other than Acadia national Park, any city or town would consider it a gem and put it on display for all to see, but clearly the National Park Service seems content to hide it away in hopes not too many people discover it. I do have to add this one note, I find the street sign to the place a bit confusing - Lake Wood Pond Rd. PVT. - what to hell is up with the private label, Lake Wood is open to the public and should not be listed as a private road - just saying, wake up National Park Service. And yes, the pond is a favorite swimming hole with the locals.
We ended up not going into the water, but really today there was no need for that, simply finding a spot under the trees along the shore of the lake was enough, it was so much cooler at Lake Wood with Young's Mountain rising in the background.
How to locate the nearly unmarked entrance to Lake Wood;
From Hull's Cove, turn onto the Crooked Road and follow it about .7 miles, once you come to the Public Works area with dirt piles, begin watching the left hand side of the road for a distinct blue street sign, Lake Wood Pond Rd. PVT. The narrow dirt road is not very long and you will soon come to the first parking area. Continue to follow the dirt road to the second parking area if your heading to the beach, which is not one of the larger sand beaches on the island. Also note the sign as your entering, this is a day area only and you must leave at dusk..
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| LAKE WOOD Acadia National Park |
The first or upper parking lot has an unmarked path across from it, with a simple sign, no alcoholic drinks, the path does have a couple places with rocks and roots sticking up in the path, but overall is fairly an easy walk. The path is easy to follow and gets you much further up the side of the lake, where the path reaches the waters edge, to the right not far away is a ledge people like to dive off of and some nice areas to sit along the shore. On this day, despite the sign of no alcohol, a group of eight were walking along the path with one guy carrying a 30 pack of beer - oh well, maybe he was from another country and didn't read English. In all I would estimate there was between 30 to 35 people of all ages at Lake Wood Pond today, about 12 of them at the sand beach at the head of the pond, the little ones were having a blast in the warm water.
The sand beach can be reached from the lower parking lot further in, where their is a path with a gate across it leading to the small beach. The sand beach may be small considering the size of the pond, but the more than inviting warm waters of the pond more than make up for it, and for the kids, inflatable pool toys are welcome. Once you step around that gate, several yards past the gate look for a path leading through the woods on the right, the path becomes more worn the further you follow it and ends where the Park Property ends and the property of Iris Farms begins. That unmarked path was once the other half of the Lake Wood Pond Road, abandoned today, the open and well worn path makes for an enjoyable walk through the woods with a brook to the left of the path. When the park property ends the path comes to a no trespassing sign, and just beyond the path comes to a field behind Iris farm.
If this pond, as large and beautiful as it is were located any other place other than Acadia national Park, any city or town would consider it a gem and put it on display for all to see, but clearly the National Park Service seems content to hide it away in hopes not too many people discover it. I do have to add this one note, I find the street sign to the place a bit confusing - Lake Wood Pond Rd. PVT. - what to hell is up with the private label, Lake Wood is open to the public and should not be listed as a private road - just saying, wake up National Park Service. And yes, the pond is a favorite swimming hole with the locals.
We ended up not going into the water, but really today there was no need for that, simply finding a spot under the trees along the shore of the lake was enough, it was so much cooler at Lake Wood with Young's Mountain rising in the background.
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| LAKE WOOD BEACH - CROOKED ROAD ACADIA NATIONAL PARK |
How to locate the nearly unmarked entrance to Lake Wood;
From Hull's Cove, turn onto the Crooked Road and follow it about .7 miles, once you come to the Public Works area with dirt piles, begin watching the left hand side of the road for a distinct blue street sign, Lake Wood Pond Rd. PVT. The narrow dirt road is not very long and you will soon come to the first parking area. Continue to follow the dirt road to the second parking area if your heading to the beach, which is not one of the larger sand beaches on the island. Also note the sign as your entering, this is a day area only and you must leave at dusk..
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| ENTRANCE TO LAKE WOOD Acadia National Park Lake Wood Pond Rd. PVT. |
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| LAKE WOOD BEACH Acadia National Park Hull's Cove, Crooked Road |
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| LAKE WOOD Acadia National Park Hull's Cove - Crooked Road |
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